Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-09-13
ENGINEERING IN PALESTINE
A Jordan Valley Canal That Would Sub
merge Its Cities.

merge ltb Clt1e9.
In a review of Mr.. ELEPHANTS book,
=" Haifa; or Life in Modern Palestine
the London Tines says: 1.-The author
makes mention or two grand engineering
projects, one of them plausible and practi-
cable, the other very much In the air. The
first ID the Great Palestine Railway, which
has been surveyed from Haifa as far as the
Jordan. The concession is held by knot
of gentlemen, some of them Moslems,
Others Christians, but all subjects of the
Porte. His opinion is that it is a real,
bona hde enterprise, and one which is
likely to become large source of profit,
for it viii tap one of the richest
producing districts Of the East The
surveyors see no serious engineering diff
culties. 1t crosses the Kishon by 60-foot
bridge, it runs smoothly over the wide
plains of Esdraelon, and there will be a
station, or rather a junction, for Nazareth.
The Jordan Valley Canal is more am
bilious scheme, nor do the estimates appear
to be so absolutely reliable as to tempt the
cautious investor. Optimists set them
down at 100000 sterling, while
unfriendly pessimists carry them so high
as E225, 100000. The whole length of the
canal would be $50 miles, of which, how
ever, only about 120 would be actual cut
ting, but cutting of a nature unparalleled
in the history of engineering The idea
is to food deep depressions of the Jordan
Valley with the waters of the Mediterra-
mean and to connect the Dead Sea with
the head of the Red Sea at Akaba. 1t is
hardly necessary TO speculate on the prob
able traffic, for, setting financial bitches
aside, the sentimental and political difficult
ties would seem to be insurmountable
The canal would swamp the Lake of Tiber-
Jus, and sink the scenes ofthe Savior's Gal
ilean ministrations 500 feet beneath sea
level. By making English influence pre-
dominate in Palestine it would provoke
the opposition of France and Russia; and
if il should really prove ali engineering
success it would ruin the Suez Canal and
the shareholders. AS for the Sultan, he
might possibly be tempted by the sums of
ready money which he would receive in
exchange for submerged territory.
But, on the other hand, he would
have TO resign himself to part
with another province, since Palestine
would be virtually annexed by the Eng
lish. Jericho would be submerged with
other places, and that would be pity, for,
according to Mr.. Oliphant, there is fair
prospect of the City of Palm Trees ris-
ing into reputation as winter watering
place. Aristocratic Russian pilgrims bound
to battle in the Jordan have taken it under
their patronage; very comfortable quart
ers are already to be found in large build
ing erected for their special accommoda-
ton; and for those who prefer quieter
and more domestic life clusters Of neat
little cottage or,ees have been run up
Jericho may be dull, but it has its recon-
mendations. There is peculiar softness
and balminess in the air not to be found
elsewhere in the world, for there is no.
other place in the world l 100 feet below
the sea line For the friends of the in
valid there Is good galloping ground on
the plains and wild shooting in the thick
cts between Jericho and the 'swellings of
the Jordan and the Ottoman authorities
appear to believe in the future of the
place, for they are actually bestirring them
selves over improvements and reclamations
in the neighborhood. "-Railroad and En-
3tq,eeri..q Journal